Ciao! Do you want to know how to wish someone good luck in Italy? Italians are very superstitious people (sometimes too much).
Have a look at the article “What does Italian mean in Italian?”
https://italianlesson.it/en/italian-curiosities/what-does-italian-mean-in-italian/
In the Italian language there are many expressions for wishing someone good luck.
These expressions have changed over the centuries: we will see a special example to show how Italian culture evolved over time about this matter.
How do we say “good luck” in Italy? | why do we wish someone good luck?
We constantly face tests and challenges.
As we said before, Italians are superstitious people (not everyone of course).
But someone might feel offended if they don’t get “good luck” before an exam, a game, or a test.
Let’s see some expressions for wishing good luck in Italian.
The most common way for wishing good luck in Italian is the same as in English. :
- BUONA FORTUNA! (Good luck)
Ti auguro buona fortuna! / I wish you good luck!
This is the classic expression, but there are different variants in Italian. They depend on the situation and the test that someone must face.
A commonly used variation is
- IN BOCCA AL LUPO!
It literally means “in the mouth of the wolf.”
This expression has a special history.
You can answer it in two different ways:
“Crepi! ” (lit. “ May it die”) or “Grazie” / “Viva il lupo” (Thank you”/ Long live the wolf”)
It’s a contradiction, right?
But its meanings are rooted in history:
The first answer was used in the days when people thought that the wolf was just an evil animal. But history is evolving, and animal rights activists are increasing.
That is why it was thought that it would be better to change the answer. One should thank the wolf because actually the wolf’s mouth is a shelter.
It moves its puppies with its mouth when it hears that its shelter is threatened. If it sees us as its “puppies”, it theoretically saves us from a threat!
“In bocca al lupo per la gara di domani!” “Viva il lupo!” / “Good luck for your race tomorrow!” “Thank you!”
Let’s think of a birthday: in Italian you will say:
TANTI AUGURI (DI BUON COMPLEANNO!) / I wish you happy birthday!
But there’s more to come! Before a dance rehearsal, a riding race, or a performance on stage, we use the “English version” of wishing good luck:
- SPEZZATI UNA GAMBA (“Break a leg”)
We can also find in the Italian language a colloquial and vulgar expression.
Watch out! Use this kind of expression only with your friends!
- “IN CULO ALLA BALENA” “SPERANDO CHE NON CAGHI”
Do you want the literal translation? Of course!
- “In the as* of the whale” “Hoping it won’t s**t.”
We could find endless ways of saying good luck in Italian because every Italian region is different and has expressions that are deeply rooted in its traditions, with unique and sometimes incomprehensible stories.
Did you ever think there could be so many ways to wish someone good luck in Italian?
You will find more details in this link:
https://www.wikihow.it/Augurare-a-Qualcuno-Buona-Fortuna
I wish you BUONA FORTUNA for everything!